Caring for Dental Implants During Holiday Meals

Roast turkey and pumpkin pie can both have a place on your holiday plate once your dental implant has healed. The foods that deserve more care are often the little extras, like the peanut brittle on the dessert tray or the ice left in your glass. At our Centennial dental office, we help patients choose what they can comfortably eat based on where they are in the healing process.

If You Recently Had Implant Surgery

Even if your gums feel comfortable, the bone around a new implant still needs time to heal. Follow the eating instructions we gave you after surgery, especially if you have a temporary crown. Check with us before chewing on the implant or adding firmer foods back to your plate.

If you’re still on soft foods, look for dishes you can mash easily with a fork. Whipped sweet potatoes, soft squash, and smooth pumpkin custard are good holiday options. Set aside a portion before adding crunchy toppings, and let hot dishes cool before taking a bite.

What to Choose Once Your Implant Has Healed

Once we’ve cleared you to chew normally with your permanent crown, you can enjoy most holiday favorites. A few small adjustments can help protect the crown from chipping or loosening.

• Carve meat off the bone. Slice turkey or ham into manageable pieces so you can enjoy the meat without accidentally biting down on bone.

• Check for pits and shells. Remove olive pits from appetizers and watch for shell fragments in pecan pie or homemade stuffing.

• Choose desserts that are easy to bite. Pumpkin pie or a soft cookie is gentler on a crown than hard toffee, peanut brittle, or sticky caramels.

• Leave ice in the glass. Chewing ice can chip an implant crown, just as it can chip a natural tooth.

Caring for Your Implant After Dinner

With a healed implant, a sip of water after dinner can help clear loose crumbs. Later that evening, gently brush along the gumline where the crown meets the gum. Plaque can collect there even though the crown itself cannot get a cavity.

We recommend brushing twice a day and cleaning between your teeth daily. If your implants support a bridge, use the floss threader or small interdental brush we’ve shown you how to use beneath it. When packing for a holiday trip, tuck that tool in with your toothbrush so you can keep up your usual routine.

If a crown shifts during dinner or you feel new pain when biting down, stop chewing on that side and call us promptly. For help with a loose crown or questions about what you can eat while your implant heals, call Rippe Dental Associates in Centennial, CO, at (303) 779-9876.